Annaghdown 10km

Last race for a while:

Mon – Treadmill 10.0km recovery run 36:35 (3:40's)

Tue am – 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold run 31:43 (3:10’s), 1.6km down. All up 13,6kms

Tue pm – Tuam AC easy running 6.7kms

Wed – Claregalway 9.5km recovery run 36:59 (3:54's)

Thu – 2km up, 10km Claregalway threshold run 35:23 (3:32’s), 2.0km down. All up 14.0kms

Fri – Treadmill 10.0km recovery run 36:31 (3:39's)

Sat – Treadmill 7.3km easy run 30:18 (4:09’s) plus strides – all up 8.0kms

Sun – Annaghdown 10km 32:44. All up 15.2kms

Total for week 87.0km

A good enough build-up to the race. A treadmill threshold run on Tuesday and then an outdoor threshold run on Thursday in extremely tough conditions. All set for Sunday.

I was chatting away near the start of the race and missed the gun. I had to then pick my way through the field but within the first 500m I had caught Owen and taken the lead. Not my greatest work but a good way to get the adrenaline pumping. Conditions were awful – wet and windy and not great for racing but I took it out hard knowing that I had the wind on the back for the first half of the race.

Through 5km in around 16 flat and feeling pretty good. But a few left turns and now it was hard work. I had a decent lead so no chance of being caught and I backed off a bit and settled into threshold mode which was around 3:20/km pace. I had the lead bike to follow (Peter Forde) which helped but there were certain parts of the course which were very tough and it felt like I was hardly moving.

I managed to pick it up a bit for the run home and a quick last 200m chasing some school kids during the finishing chute and I crossed the line in 32:44 for the win. Not a bad time given the conditions.

Within a minute of crossing the line I was being interviewed live on air for the local radio station. I have no idea what that sounded like but good fun and overall one of my favourite courses where  I managed to squeeze under 32 last year. Not to be in today’s conditions though.

Holiday to look forward to next week. Two weeks in Portugal departing Friday.

Castlehackett 8km

Running with a hangover:

Mon – 2km up, 12km Claregalway threshold run 39:49 (3:19’s), 2.1km down. All up 16,1kms

Tue am – Claregalway 9.5km easy run 39:17 (4:08's)

Tue pm – Tuam AC easy running 2.7kms

Wed – 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold run 31:45 (3:10’s), 1.0km down. All up 13,0kms

Thu – Claregalway 14.8km recovery run 55:37 (3:45's)

Fri – 2km up, 6 x 3 mins off 90 secs (2% incline), 2.0km down. All up 10,0kms

Sat – Claregalway 9.5km easy run 37:22 (3:56's)

Sun – Castlehackett 8km 27:54. All up 18.4kms

Total for week 94.0km

Another decent week in the bag, One of my best outdoor threshold runs on the Monday and treadmill sessions on Wednesday and Friday and I was ready for the race on Sunday. But I had a thousand beers watching the England game Saturday night and I was touch and go whether I’d make the race….

Luckily nobody to push me and I settled into an early lead and decided to run at threshold heart rate. That felt tough – not helped by very warm and humid conditions. I finished the race in 27:54 for the win and as punishment I ran the lap a second time (same heart rate – but second lap about a minute slower). A great event which I enjoyed and I felt marginally better by the end of things. 

Athenry 5km

A rare 5km hit-out:

Mon – Claregalway 9.5km recovery run 35:15 (3:43’s) plus strides. All up 10.6kms

Tue – Galway 5km series (Athenry) 15:32 (3:06’s). All up 13.3kms

Wed – Claregalway 14.8km recovery run 54:26 (3:41's)

Thu am – 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold run 31:51 (3:11’s), 1.6km down. All up 13,6kms

Thu pm – Mayo AC easy running 7.6kms

Fri – Claregalway 9.5km easy run 38:53 (4:06's)

Sat – 2km up, 12km Claregalway threshold run 40:17 (3:22’s), 2.0km down. All up 16,0kms

Sun – Claregalway 11.1km recovery run 41:57 (3:47's)

Total for week 96.5km

I did my first race post 10,000m night and felt good. I took it out hard running a quick first km (2:57) and then also a good second km. But lost focus in the middle km but managed to pick it up for the run home. Time 15:32 and pleased with that for the win running solo.

A good outdoor threshold run on Saturday also. I feel like I’m in decent nick. Just need to run some strong races now.